Common Core State Standards for ELA/Literacy

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English Language Arts (ELA)/Literacy provide clear, consistent expectations about what knowledge, skills, and practices students should have and learn at each grade level so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help students achieve them.

Rhode Island adopted the CCSS in ELA/Literacy in place of a planned update to our current Grade Level Expectations (GLEs) and Grade Span Expectations (GSEs) for reading, and written/oral communication.

David Coleman and Susan Pimentel, both authors of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), have published these Criteria documents intended to serve as a guide for publishers and curriculum developers in their work to align to the English Language Arts and Literacy Common Core State Standards.
Rhode Island believes that administrators and teachers are essential members of curriculum development therefore these documents offer much fodder for discussion as all educators transition to the Common Core State Standards.

The WIDA English Language Development Standards (ELDS) have recently been revised to integrate the CCSS for all educators who work with ELLs. Rhode Island is a member of the WIDA Consortium and the use of the WIDA ELDS by all educators working with ELLs is required by R.I.G.L. 16-54-2.

This module explores the Common Core State Standards' focus on General Academic Vocabulary as a way to provide greater access to complex texts. Educators will learn how to identify The Three Tiers of Vocabulary, become familiar with criteria for selecting Tier Two words for explicit instruction, and explore some instructional resources.

In this module, participants will gain additional experience selecting Tier Two words for instruction by using a set of criteria. Participants will have an opportunity to work with an instructional guide to begin planning for explicit vocabulary instruction.

Participants will have the opportunity to extend their understanding of planning explicit vocabulary instruction with Tier Two words by using their own classroom texts and sharing instructional approaches.

Recently, there has been some discussion around the topic of pre-reading and how it fits within the Common Core State Standards. The Common Core State Standards require students to read increasingly complex texts with growing independence. Because the standards articulate what students should know and be able to do, they, the standards do not tell us how we need to accomplish this expectation. Therefore, this module takes an in-depth look at pre-reading and asks participants to consider certain factors before determining whether a pre-reading lesson is warranted. Additionally, participants will use a guide to analyze their own practices so they may continue to be mindful of the goal, which is to allow students to work through these complex texts independently.

Text Dependent Questions are identified within the CCSS as a key skill for students: “rather than asking students questions about their prior knowledge or experience, the standards expect students to wrestle with text dependent questions: questions that can only be answered by referring explicitly back to the text in front of them.” This document provides questions to help guide thinking on development of text dependent questions.

Close Reading Exemplars

“These close reading exemplars intend to model how teachers can support their students as they undergo the kind of careful reading the Common Core State Standards require.” The exemplars provided are for Grades 6-12.

Module designed for participants to understand the reasoning and importance of the Common Core State Standards’ shift to increase the complexity of texts utilized in K-12 classrooms in order to prepare students for college and career readiness.

The RIDE sponsored Text Complexity PD session, which supports the Text Complexity Modules, included a PowerPoint that provided background information regarding the need for increasing text complexity within our classrooms. Participants of the session have requested that we share this background knowledge to help support Module implementation.

Dr. Timothy Shanahan discusses the ELA Common Core State Standards readability requirements and how an increase in complex texts may shift the way teachers think about teaching students to read a challenging text. (Video 1:42)

This part of the Writing an Argument Module enables participants to understand the definition, key terminology, and characteristics of argument writing in the ELA/Literacy Common Core State Standards. Participants learn why argument writing is given such prominence in the standards and are introduced to the distinction between persuasive writing and logical argumentation.

This module explores the rigor of the argument writing standard in the ELA Common Core State Standards by having participants deconstruct the standard at their own and other grade levels to identify what students are expected to know and be able to do. Participants think about the instructional implications of the expectations and begin to plan resources and strategies that they could use to teach argument writing.

In this module, participants gain a deeper understanding of the integration of the strands of the ELA/Literacy Common Core State Standards as it pertains to argumentation. They broaden their understanding of argumentation by reading and listening to Patrick Henry’s “Speech to the Second Virginia Convention (1775)” and tracing the speaker’s argument.

This module familiarizes participants with tools and resources to support the teaching of argument writing. Participants annotate a student sample of argument writing from Appendix C of the Common Core State Standards and also examine an argument writing rubric. Using a text set (a collection of resources on one topic), participants have an opportunity to practice argument writing.

PDF that outlines the transition plan for the Fall 2012 and Fall 2013 NECAP assessments. Please note that the NECAP Science Assessment is not affected by the transition to the Common Core State Standards.

Tri-State Collaborative Rubrics and Review Process

The Tri-State Collaborative (comprised of educational leaders from Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New York) has developed criterion-based rubrics and review processes to evaluate the quality of units and lessons intended to address the Common Core State Standards for ELA/Literacy and Mathematics. Educators may use the rubrics to evaluate units and lessons and to inform and guide current and future collaborative curriculum development efforts. These resources may also assist in understanding the critical areas of focus in the CCSS.

This 1.5–4 hour module is designed to guide and support principals, content supervisors, central office leaders, and coaches in the work of planning and carrying out the implementation of the Common Core State Standards. The module addresses five aspects of effective leadership in implementation: knowing and understanding the shifts, setting a vision for college and career readiness, developing clear metrics to guide the work, building capacity in schools, and staying engaged.

Curriculum Resource Review Aids

Tri-State Collaborative Rubrics and Review Process

The Tri-State Collaborative (comprised of educational leaders from Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New York) has developed criterion-based rubrics and review processes to evaluate the quality of units and lessons intended to address the Common Core State Standards for ELA/Literacy and Mathematics. Educators may use the rubrics to evaluate units and lessons and to inform and guide current and future collaborative curriculum development efforts. These resources may also assist in understanding the critical areas of focus in the CCSS.

The National Association of Elementary School Principals has created a checklist, complete with resource links, intended to assist principals in their responsibilities for implementing the Common Core State Standards. While this may not be a complete list or applicable to all, the checklist provides a thoughtful framework for thinking through making the Common Core State Standards happen in schools.

Document provides a sample of how a school during the SY 2012-2013 can utilize Faculty Meetings and Common Planning Time to deepen educators understanding of the CCSS and PARCC. All content educators (English language arts, social studies/history, science and technical subject areas) engage with a year long, deep study of Writing an Argument.

This paper highlights challenges and opportunities as English Language Learners engage with the Next Generation Science Standards. These new standards represent a major shift in science instruction, toward an explicit focus on scientific sense-making, language use, and scientific practices. AUTHORS: Helen Quinn, Okhee Lee, Guadalupe Valdés

This paper points out three different ways that language is involved in the standards: language requirements in the content standards, English language arts standards, and language-convention-specific standards. It calls for a thoughtful integration of these three dimensions. AUTHORS: Leo van Lier, Aída Walqui

This paper addresses the implications, for ELLs, of the new standards’ requirement that students be able to read and understand complex, informationally-dense texts. AUTHORS: Lily Wong Fillmore, Charles J. Fillmore

The population of English language learners is enormously diverse. Teachers face the complex challenge of providing them with opportunities that allow them to attain the Common Core State Standards despite their various needs and abilities. AUTHORS: Aída Walqui, Margaret Heritage

This paper recommends strategies for cultivating—as opposed to centrally planning—an online community that supports the goals of Understanding Language, beginning with the assumption that technological development should serve the needs and shared goals of community members. AUTHORS: Rob Lucas, John Willinsky

This PowerPoint presentation underlines methods and strategies for educators to help English Language Learners meet the Common Core State Standards. ??This resource was produced by a respected researcher in the field of second language acquisition. Please note: it does not include references to WIDA support materials or the WIDA English Language Development Standards (ELDS), which have recently been revised to integrate the CCSS for all educators who work with ELLs. Educators are encouraged to access this information at www.wida.us. (Rhode Island is a member of the WIDA Consortium and the use of the WIDA ELDS by all educators working with ELLs is required by R.I.G.L. 16-54-2.)

This PowerPoint presentation outlines ways to develop effective educational practices for instructing English Language Learners in a Common Core standards-based curriculum. ??This resource was produced by a respected researcher in the field of second language acquisition. Please note: it does not include references to WIDA support materials or the WIDA English Language Development Standards (ELDS), which have recently been revised to integrate the CCSS for all educators who work with ELLs. Educators are encouraged to access this information at www.wida.us. (Rhode Island is a member of the WIDA Consortium and the use of the WIDA ELDS by all educators working with ELLs is required by R.I.G.L. 16-54-2.)

This PowerPoint presentation underlines the kind of skills and professional development that teachers will need to successfully transition English Language Learners to Common Core Standards curricula. ??This resource was produced by a respected researcher in the field of second language acquisition. Please note: it does not include references to WIDA support materials or the WIDA English Language Development Standards (ELDS), which have recently been revised to integrate the CCSS for all educators who work with ELLs. Educators are encouraged to access this information at www.wida.us. (Rhode Island is a member of the WIDA Consortium and the use of the WIDA ELDS by all educators working with ELLs is required by R.I.G.L. 16-54-2.)